DEVOTION: John 11:1-53 English Standard Version (ESV)

The Death of Lazarus

11 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village ofMary and her sister Martha.2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord,he whom you love is ill."4 But when Jesus heard it he said,"This illness does not lead to death. It is forthe glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

5 NowJesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.6 So, when he heard that Lazarus[a]was ill,he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.7 Then after this he said to the disciples,"Let us go to Judea again."8 The disciples said to him,"Rabbi,the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?"9 Jesus answered,"Are there not twelve hours in the day?If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.10 Butif anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is notin him."11 After saying these things, he said to them,"Our friend Lazarushas fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him."12 The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover."13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.14 Then Jesus told them plainly,"Lazarus has died,15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."16 So Thomas, called the Twin,[b]said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go,that we may die with him."

I Am the Resurrection and the Life

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tombfour days.18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles[c]off,19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Maryto console them concerning their brother.20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.21 Martha said toJesus, "Lord,if you had been here, my brother would not have died.22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God,God will give you."23 Jesus said to her,"Your brother will rise again."24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again inthe resurrection on the last day."25 Jesus said to her,"I am the resurrection andthe life.[d]Whoever believes in me,though he die,yet shall he live,26 and everyone who lives and believes in meshall never die. Do you believe this?"27 She said to him, "Yes, Lord;I believe thatyou are the Christ, the Son of God,who is coming into the world."

Jesus Weeps

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private,"The Teacher is here and is calling for you."29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.31 When the Jewswho were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him,"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, hewas deeply moved[e]in his spirit andgreatly troubled.34 And he said,"Where have you laid him?"They said to him, "Lord, come and see."35 Jesus wept.36 So the Jews said, "Seehow he loved him!"37 But some of them said, "Could not hewho opened the eyes of the blind manalso have kept this man from dying?"

Jesus Raises Lazarus

38 Then Jesus,deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It wasa cave, anda stone lay against it.39 Jesus said,"Take away the stone."Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, forhe has been dead four days."40 Jesus said to her,"Did I not tell you that if you believed you would seethe glory of God?"41 So they took away the stone. And Jesuslifted up his eyes and said,"Father, I thank you that you have heard me.42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said thison account of the people standing around,that they may believe that you sent me."43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice,"Lazarus, come out."44 The man who had died came out,his hands and feet bound with linen strips, andhis face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them,"Unbind him, and let him go."

The Plot to Kill Jesus

45 Many of the Jews therefore,who had come with Mary andhad seen what he did, believed in him,46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.47 So the chief priests and the Phariseesgatheredthe council and said,"What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, andthe Romans will come and take away both ourplace and our nation."49 But one of them,Caiaphas,who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all.50 Nor do you understand thatit is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish."51 He did not say this of his own accord, butbeing high priest that yearhe prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,52 andnot for the nation only, but alsoto gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.53 So from that day on theymade plans to put him to death.

If you ever get a chance to read all of the Gospel of John in one sitting, do it. It's a different way to learn God's Word. You can see the coherence of the lessons and see the way John intended it to be read. It is really pretty cool.

I'm just giving you a glimpse of what it's like today by giving you this longer reading which is actually the full Gospel reading for this weekend. Read it again and just enjoy it!

Prayer: Lord, help me to enjoy your Word, to not take it for granted, and to get something out of it today and every day. Amen.

After working faithfully for St. John's for the last 14 years, Marilyn Foster, has announced that she will be retiring on May 31. We are planning a retirement celebration for her on Sunday, May 21 after church. More information will be coming about this soon.

Donations for the youth groups sale under the pavilion can be left under the pavilion or in the shed.

__________________________________________________________________

STEPHEN MINISTRY IS LOOKING FOR SOME NEW STEPHEN LEADERS

If you love caring for others and consider yourself a leader, this is the perfect way for you to serve the Lord and your church family!

The Stephen Leader training is April 23-29 at the Renaissance Hotel by the airport this year and the cost of the training is covered by the church. If you choose to stay at the hotel you will have to pay for that yourself. It's only a 35 minute commute to the training from Warrenton.

For PASTOR, that he can get rid of these after effects of Influenza A and B.

For both RANDY AND PATTY SWEET'S MOTHERS, Virginia, Patty's mom, has just been diagnosed with lung cancer. Rose, Randy's mom, had a bad seizure two months ago, and although she is walking and talking fine, the seizure caused some dementia.

For DANIELLE MEINE KRAMER, whose leukemia is back after a brief respite from it. She had it for several years while in high school. (She grew up riding Karin's school bus to school.)

For Mim Dunn's nephew DAVID HAHN who is dealing with severe throat cancer.

For LOIS BOEGER'S MOM, EVELYN TOEDEBUSCH, who has been on hospice care for the last few months and slows down a little more every day, but is doing well.

My Blog List

Subscribe

Mission Statement

The mission of St. John's Lutheran Church is to preach the Word of God in its purity and to teach this Word to all people. We do so through the means God has given us, the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.

What We Believe

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod accepts the Scriptures as the inspired and inerrant Word of God, and subscribes unconditionally to all the symbolical books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church as a true and unadulterated statement and exposition of the Word of God.

We accept the Confessions because they are drawn from the Word of God and on that account regard their doctrinal content as a true and binding exposition of Holy Scripture and as authoritative for all pastors, congregations and other rostered church workers of The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.